South Ayrshire Council today (3rd June) approved ScottishPower Renewables plans for Glen App Windfarm, a proposed 11 turbine development approximately 4.5km north-east of Cairnryan and 6km south of Ballantrae.

The project will be able to generate up to 33MW of green electricity, and ScottishPower Renewables aims to have the windfarm fully operational by 2017.

Glen App will be a further addition to ScottishPower Renewables’ current windfarms in South Ayrshire, with Arecleoch and Mark Hill already in operation.  Community benefit funding from Mark Hill and Arecleoch alone has been worth over £2 million to communities in South Ayrshire in 4 years of operation, and Glen App will provide a community benefit fund of £5,000 per megawatt, per year.

As well as making a significant contribution to Scotland’s renewable energy targets, and financial benefits to local communities, Glen App Windfarm will also deliver local environmental benefits. The project will include a new 45 hectare native woodland and a monitoring programme for the nearby hen harrier population.

SPR initially submitted a planning application in 2012, and extensive consultations were undertaken with local communities and other stakeholders, including Historic Scotland and Scottish Natural Heritage.

John Alexander, Development Director at ScottishPower Renewables, said: “We are very pleased that South Ayrshire Council has decided to approve the Glen App project. We have been working on plans for Glen App since 2010, and through this period we have worked closely with a range of interested groups and consultees to design the best project possible.

“Our existing projects in South Ayrshire have made major financial contributions to local community projects, as well as providing a significant output of green electricity for the grid, and we look forward to Glen App playing an important role in the region as well.”